Drivers let cars take the reins

August 26, 2015

Far from fearing the rise of the machines, European drivers are embracing cutting-edge systems that can help them park, avoid collisions, and maintain a steady speed and distance from vehicles ahead.

That’s according to a study of new car buying habits based on more than 1,000,000 Ford vehicle purchases in the past year.

Scroll over the interactive infographic below to find out more.

Tech me home

Ford Car Buying Trends 2015 reveals that 1 in 3 Ford cars sold in the last year were equipped with parking systems that help drivers find and steer into parking spaces.

The number of cars ordered with Ford’s automatic braking tech has almost doubled in the past year, while more than half were fitted with cruise control systems.

More than 3 in 4 drivers bought a car equipped with Ford’s voice-control system that can be used to make calls, play music, find restaurants, and set navigation.

It’s all white, again

U.K. drivers, like those in the Czech Republic, buck the trend by opting mostly for blue – but white is still the most popular colour across Europe, followed by black, silver, and grey.

White is most popular in Turkey, where it is chosen by almost 3 in 4 of all new car buyers. Fifth-placed blue is the fastest-rising colour after seeing a 63 per cent increase in popularity.

Shape of things to come

In Europe most car buyers choose five-door models, then estates, followed by four-door versions.

Five-door vehicles were most likely to find a home in Greece, while four-doors were most popular in Turkey.

Power to the people

Petrol tops diesel for drivers across Europe, especially in Russia where customers chose 96 per cent petrol-powered cars, and the majority still prefer to make shift gears with a manual stick rather than an automatic ‘box.

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